Among his friends in Menteng Primary School, Jakarta, Indonesia, he looked different. His body was the biggest among his friends'. Yet what made some of his childhood friends confused seeing him was: his mother was white, his little sister was so pretty and had brighter skin, but his skin was dark.
I read in newspaper about Barack's ex-teacher recalled that her student, Barry (his name in Indonesia), in a writing lesson wrote that he wanted to be a president. President of which country? Some years a go, as an Indonesian child, I had never had any thought to be a president. Firstly I am not a native Indonesian, secondly I was growing up under President Soeharto regime. He was so powerful and led Indonesia for 32 years. During his era it was almost impossible for other man to replace him as president. As Barack is not an Indonesian native either, it is also impossible for him to be an Indonesian president. The only possibility for him to fulfil his idea is to be the president of United States of America.
Barack wrote in his autobiography that he lacked the "certainty of the tribe." Perhaps he struggled to give himself the right identity under his black skin but was raised by his white grandparents. As a black man he did not experience the brutal racism in the poor black ghettos of Bronx (for example) because he grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii. By settling in a black neighbourhood in Chicago, became a member of a black church and married a black woman, Barack self-consciously choose to associate himself with black people.
People might think that another Clinton was needed to end Bush's leadership. But Hillary Clinton was blocked by a freshman senator. The name of the freshman senator, Barack Hussein Obama was not familiar for Americans. Even his name is associated with American's enemies: Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Washington Post published an article entitled "Osama is on the run while Obama considers to run." After Osama Bin Laden's 911 and Iraq's Saddam Hussein, the last thing people want is to send someone with the name Hussein Obama to the White House.
Unlike John McCain who was a war hero, Barack Obama is a foreign name. Unlike John McCain or George W. Bush, who were born in prominent wealthy families with powerful fathers, with all the privileges and connections, Barack Obama born from ordinary family. His father left him when he was only two years old. His personal story has touched many people. He was raised by an ordinary family, earned scholarship and living his American dream. The rise of Barack Obama to be an extraordinary public figure in America is a constant reminder that people still believe that in America everybody has an equal chance to pursue a better life. Perhaps people do not always have equal talent, but in U.S.A. all should have an equal opportunity to develop their talent. The hero like John McCain who is white competes fairly and equally with the son of unknown ordinary Kenyan immigrant says a lot about U.S.A.
Whatever happens in 4 November 2008, we are watching history in the making. This is a story that Americans will tell their future generations that everything is possible in America. During his campaigns Barack has never promised something special for black society, and perhaps things will not be different if Barack wins as a president. At least black kids can certainly say: I can grow up one day to be president. Obama will open the gate of possibilities for many people especially the blacks for many careers. The black will realize that they do not have to look like Ronald Reagan if we want to run for president. Obama inspires the black that they can be an extraordinary kind of guy. It is not a dream anymore that America will live in a society where people will not be judged by the colour of their skin or by their name but by the content of their characters. The journey of Barack Obama will always be remembered as the first black person vying for the White House.
Because he is black, there is something special. Never before in the history of U.S. Presidential Elections that the whole world is nervously waiting for it's outcome. Should Obama win the election there will be extravagant celebration within U.S.A, and around the world, in big cities of Europe like Paris or Frankfurt, in cities of China which favour him, in Iran, U.E.A., Korea, ... from Kenya, the land of his father ... to Indonesia, the land of his childhood.
